


Six Times Hershel Layton Remembered, Plus The One Time He Didn't

by Ivaleen



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Anger, Angst and Tragedy, Azran Legacy Spoilers, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I hate tagging, Sadness, Separation Anxiety, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28770816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ivaleen/pseuds/Ivaleen
Summary: Everything was fine. They lived happy together as a family.But the next moment, everything disappeared, as if gone up in smoke.Hershel Layton felt lost, and then he was lonely. There was a new family around him, but it was not the one he wanted.And then everything slowly started to fade away.Until he remembered once more.
Relationships: Hershel Bronev & Theodore Bronev, Hershel Layton & Lucille Layton, Hershel Layton & Roland Layton, Jean Descole & Hershel Layton
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	Six Times Hershel Layton Remembered, Plus The One Time He Didn't

_**Later That Day** _

Theodore was confused. Who were these strange-looking men who just left with Mum and Dad? Where were Mum and Dad? When would they come back? And why had he overheard people screaming so loudly? He didn’t like it when people were fighting; it only meant that something bad had happened.

Soon, hours had passed, and still there was no sign of their parents.

He kept asking Hersh about their parents’ sudden departure. Every time, the same answer. Hersh only said that everything would be okay. He needn’t worry. Everything would be okay…

The four year old didn’t understand a single thing of what just happened. _Why should everything be okay if people had screamed?_

Mum and Dad were in trouble. He just knew it. Still, Hersh didn’t want to acknowledge it so Theo wouldn’t be worried—everything to take care of the little one. But even _everything_ didn’t seem to be enough.

Nothing happened the way it should have. But perhaps it was a bad dream. That was what Mum always said when he woke up crying and afraid that everyone had left without him; nothing was real. _Everything is going to be okay._

Nothing could be okay and Theo was still confused.

* * *

_**Two Days Later** _

Theo was sad. He’d noticed a change in Hersh’s heart—he didn’t behave the way he used to only two days back. There was no optimism left in him. He didn’t say _everything will be okay Theo you just have to wait they will come back you don’t worry and we can play together if you’d like they’ll be back before you know it_ anymore.

Their parents were gone. It didn’t look like they were about to come back anytime soon. They’d never left them alone for so long. Sure, Hersh could take care of his little brother for a while, but there was only so much he could manage to do in their parents’ stead. He was no father, no mother. He was just the older brother. He was the one rushing to Theodore’s side whenever the youngest showed that he needed it; he was the one ready to provide comfort at night, when he heard Theo crying after a bad dream and didn’t want their parents to be woken up.

But now, the both of them sat in the couch in the living room, side by side, in the dark. Alone. There were no laughs, no cries, no warm atmosphere anymore. Even the most caring brother wouldn’t replace the past—a past which seemed to be so close, yet it was already so far. The brothers waited endlessly for something that, one of them had started to get used to it, would never happen.

Hershel was sad, and so was Theodore. They had nothing else left.

* * *

_**One Week Later** _

Theo was afraid. Who were the Laytons? And why did Hersh start packing his bag? Why did he look so relieved, in spite of the awful nights they’d just spent?

Something was not right. Something was about to change. Hersh couldn’t stop talking about this family who would be so happy to have him, and how he needed to be careful, always remember that he’s Hershel now, and not Theodore. He acted like such a grown-up; it was a lot to take in.

Theo couldn’t understand. He _was_ Theodore—that was the name he’d been given all his short life. Why should he pretend he was named Hershel all of a sudden? And why wasn't his brother packing his _own_ bag as well?

So much questions, yet so little answers.

A while later, a couple was standing on their porch. They looked awfully happy for people who were about to intrude into the brothers’ lives.

Before Theo realized it, he was taken away by that odd couple; he was taken away from Hersh, and nothing felt right. He didn’t want to go away. He didn’t want to go with them. And why didn’t Hersh move an inch? Why wasn’t he going with them? Why-

“ _I hope you’ll feel at home with us, Hershel.”_

Theodore Bronev, or whoever he was supposed to be, was afraid.

* * *

_**One Month Later** _

Theo was angry. For a month he’d been following the ones who wanted him to call them _Ma_ and _Pa_ all around, but he just _couldn’t_ get used to it. He hadn’t heard from Hersh in a while, either. Whenever would he join them? Where was he?

He didn’t want to stay here. All his life had been peaceful, and all of a sudden, everything started collapsing right under his nose. And there still wasn’t _anyone_ able to provide him with answers he couldn’t dare to ask. Because he did not understand.

Theo didn’t talk much, but Roland and Lucille had gathered from the way the child looked at them that he didn’t like it, here. He barely managed to tell anything other than _yes_ , _no_ , _maybe_ , _where is my brother_ – and the couple had started to fear that nothing would ever change.

Theo was angry and uncomfortable. The only way he’d found to express all these feelings was to throw a tantrum, one his _parents_ would never forget.

* * *

_**Two Years Later** _

Hershel was happy. The weather was calm and sunny, and they were about to go out for a walk in the center of London. He’d go out and play in the park with other children.

He liked the Laytons. He liked his _parents_. They were always so patient, so kind-hearted; they were ready to sacrifice everything for their child’s well-being.

Hershel didn’t ask for much. He was always a collected and lovely boy. The beginning had been tough, but little by little, his parents had been able to see him smile even more often. His anger and his fear seemed to have left him. Nothing months, then years of patience and love couldn’t erase, as they’d predicted and hoped.

Hershel loved it here, in London. He’d felt like he had lived here all his life. That day, Roland and Lucille knew they’d won the fight. But there was still a long path waiting ahead of the three of them.

The only thing that ever mattered to them, though, was that Hershel Layton was happy.

* * *

_**Thirty Years Later** _

Hershel Layton was puzzled. A funny emotion to feel for someone who loved puzzles that much, but nothing could ever describe better the way he’d felt for hours now, hours that seemed like ages.

So much did happen in the span of a few hours.

First he’d learned his parents could be targeted by Targent, then Aurora had made it clear that she didn’t want to live anymore, all so she could protect them. Then Desmond—no, Descole—had taken the key from her hands, and revealed himself as the dangerous scientist Layton knew him to be.

Then they’d fought. Despair was filling the air, though Hershel didn’t understand what Descole meant when he cried that the _Azran legacy was all he had to live for._

And as if there hadn’t been enough betrayals as it was, Emmy was soon to follow. Luke had been abducted. He’d had no other choice than siding with Descole to prevent Bronev from unleashing doom on Earth. Misery didn’t seem to end.

Just when he’d thought he’d finally be able to change things, Descole had been ready to sacrifice himself to save Luke. And then…

Then everything just collapsed.

He held his agonizing _brother_ in his arms; the one who’d wanted so hard to take him down only a few hours back was now confessing, fearing death was on the way.

Some images were flowing through his head, though he didn’t yet understand quite clearly what it was supposed to mean. But he had a _brother_. Ma and Pa… they weren’t his true _parents_. _Leon Bronev_ was his _biological father_? Nothing made any sense. Hershel—or whoever he was supposed to be—just wanted this to end.

Confusion, sadness, fear, anger, happiness, shock. And so much more—so much thoughts and sensations he couldn’t voice. He’d started experiencing a bunch of emotions he wasn’t used to feeling anymore. But such a puzzling state of mind would not last. It was a true gentleman’s duty to figure out every mystery, even the thickest ones; even the ones that involved himself.

Except this time, he’d sworn to himself that he would not forget.

**Author's Note:**

> do you want a little more despair on top of your sadness?


End file.
